In June, our picks range from a blinders-off look at new parenthood to a heart-wrenching memoir to a study of what it truly means to be smart. Five new releases that you might want to add to your nightstand this month:

(Ballantine Books)

Tell My Sons: A Father’s Last Letters, by Lt. Col. Mark WeberIn 2010, at age 38, Weber underwent a routine physical that revealed he had stage IV intestinal cancer. Given just four months to live, Weber, a decorated army colonel, realized that the battle against his disease wasn’t one he could win. So he decided to use his remaining time to write a series of letters to his three sons, Matthew, Noah, and Joshua. In the resulting book, Weber tries to pass along the lessons and wisdom that he won’t be around to impart in person—such as the importance of humility and rising to a challenge. (You can read an excerpt from one of the letters here.) Just days after the memoir’s publication, Weber sadly succumbed to cancer, but the letters he left behind are a testament to his courage and character.

(NAL Trade)

Dad or Alive: Confessions of an Unexpected Stay-at-Home Dad, by Adrian KulpBefore his children were born, Kulp had a demanding career as an entertainment industry executive working with comedy stars like Adam Sandler. Today, he’s a stay-at-home father to 3-year-old Ava and 1-year-old Charlie, and the author of a popular (and terrific) blog, now turned memoir, Dad or Alive. The book is a funny, uncensored look at Kulp’s transition from the fast track to the dad track as he navigates his way through crib assembly, diaper explosions, flying with an infant, and other in-the-trenches moments of new parenthood.

(Simon and Schuster)

One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One, by Lauren SandlerIs it selfish to have an only child? Are only children worse off than those with siblings? In her new book, Sandler scratches beneath the surface of the mommy-blog debate to examine the science and psychology of only children. What she finds: Onlies aren’t so lonely—or maladjusted, or spoiled, or any of the other negative things we sometimes believe—after all. Sandler also weaves in her own experiences as both an only child and the parent of one, and shares the benefits that she and her husband have found in raising a singleton. For those parents who are blessed with a choice in how many children they have, this book offers a case for considering the merits of—or at least reconsidering the stigma against—just one. (To read our recent interview with Sandler, click here.)

(Seal Press)

The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby’s First Year, by Dawn DaisEven if you think you’re prepared—even if you know it’s going to be tough—there’s no advice that can really ease the shock of having a newborn (aka a tiny, adorable batch of TNT that detonates life as you know it). After all, as the saying goes, having a baby changes everything—“and by ‘everything,’ they actually mean ‘everything, as in your entire life, we are not joking,’” writes Dais. Still, in her new book, Dais attempts to give expectant parents a brutally honest (and often humorous) peek at what’s in store—since, as she notes “misery does love company, especially at 3 a.m. feeding sessions.” From poop to post-partum depression, she presents a no-holds-barred look at all of the changes and challenges that new moms and dads can face, along with the three little words every infant-toting parent wants to hear: It gets better.

(Basic Books)

Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined, by Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D.What exactly is intelligence? What do IQ tests really measure? And how much can we strengthen our own intellectual muscle? Here, Kaufman, a cognitive psychologist who was once placed in special education after a childhood illness left him with difficulty understanding speech, explores the science of smart, arguing that the path to adult success is much more varied—and much less dependent on IQ or good grades—than we may believe. A convincing—and moving—case for the great potential of even an “ordinary” mind.